View photosKEY POINTS:
Never again will South African rugby be as arrogant as it was in the isolation years - or in that first year of renewed international competition, 1992.
But confidence, as opposed to that intolerable Japie, up-your-nose arrogance, is another issue.
In the second half of the 80s, in
the post-Cavaliers era and into the early 90s, South Africans honestly believed it was virtually impossible for the Springboks to lose a rugby match.
It was a time when South African rugby fans abroad proudly wore T-shirts proclaiming "No World Cup without the Springboks".
Before the 1992 Ellis Park match against the All Blacks, no South African gave the visitors a chance.
The All Blacks were good - but heck, we had beaten them more times than they had beaten us (20-17 to the Boks in 1992). And when the Boks lost 27-24, well, it was to be expected that we would be a touch rusty.
When the world champion Wallabies came to South Africa later that year, an astonished Michael Lynagh said he had never, anywhere, in any sport, seen such blind arrogance as that displayed by the South African public. The Wallabies proceeded to win by a record score.
That set the tone for most of the 90s and, apart from the anomaly of the 1995 World Cup and a few decent Tri-Nations campaigns, it has been a decade and a half of depressing reality checks until rock bottom was reached around 2003 when we wondered if we would ever beat the All Blacks again - in South Africa, never mind in New Zealand.
South African rugby has been pulling itself up by the bootstraps since then, and now there is a genuine belief among both players and supporters that the Springboks could be the chief threat to the All Blacks in France in September.
This is not the old arrogance resurfacing - the Springboks have not beaten the All Blacks on foreign soil since the 1999 World Cup and, in general, have an appalling record away to the top five rugby countries over the past five years or so.
It is more a case of belief in South African rugby having been gradually restored by an across-the-board improvement in Super 14 results; the improved quality of the Currie Cup; the improved depth in nearly every position; the collective good form of a number of key Springboks - and the fact that there a is core of senior Springboks hitting the peaks of their careers together and maturing into their best form.
At the same time, there is a feeling among the players, backed up by Super 14 results, that New Zealand teams are not invincible after all.
So far this year, the Crusaders are the only New Zealand team to win a Super 14 match on South African soil.
In 12 matches in the Republic, Kiwi teams lost 10 times. The Crusaders beat the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein and the Chiefs drew with the same team at the same venue. The Cheetahs, South Africa's worst performing team in the competition, were the only Japie team to go win-less on the road.
The Lions won twice in Australia - as the Cats they hardly ever won anywhere - the Bulls won three out of five, the Sharks two out of four and the Stormers won once there.
The South Africans, especially those from the high veld, usually treat their road trips with the same enthusiasm they would a mine-detecting excursion to Iraq, but they are lightening up and, heaven forbid, even having a bit of fun. If there was one match that summed up the growing self-belief of the Japies, it was the Bulls beating of the Blues in Pretoria.
The Aucklanders were up for that match, make no mistake, gave it their best shot - and even had the cushion of a 9-0 early lead. But they then seemed powerless to stop the Bulls' onslaught and were thoroughly outplayed; outclassed even.
Which brings us to this weekend's semifinals ... If the cream of New Zealand's Super 14 challenge turns sour in both the Shark Tank and the Bull Ring, there will unquestionably be psychological blows struck both ways - as would be the case if the Blues and/or Crusaders win.
If both Kiwi teams win, it will certainly pull down this growing Japie confidence - although the wins overseas by the South Africans suggest some form of positive foundation has been laid, regardless of the outcome on Sunday.
An all-South African final would give rugby here an immeasurable boost and, while Super rugby success hardly guarantees international success, it would certainly provide some handy momentum going into the international season.
It is worth noting at this point that the year of South Africa's worst Super 12 challenge - 1998 - was the same year the Springboks won the Tri-Nations for the first time.
Which means all is not lost for the Wallabies!
* Mike Greenaway is chief rugby writer at the Natal Mercury in Durban.
